You've seen it done in movies, on TV and maybe in person. But anyone with a longish knife and a cold bottle of bubbly can win major drama points by sabering a bottle of Champagne at the stroke of midnight at a New Year's party.
There's a colorful history associated with sabrage, this method of getting to the wine, allegedly going back to Napolean's days when it seemed expeditious for the Hussars to use their sabers to open Champagne lavished on them while still on horseback.
Now: I said anyone can do it. Doing it expertly and safely - there's a distinction.
Of course it's dangerous - using a sharp knife on slippery odd-shaped glass, you run the risk of slicing off a digit, putting someone's eye out, or letting go of the knife and beheading someone accidentally. OK - not really, but stupid happens. You may recall the story of Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn cutting her hand on a sabered victory bottle.
So before we give you the rules, fair warning, disclosure and all the CYA stuff I can think of: New Times nor I are responsible for any mayhem, bloodshed or death caused by glass or blade or drunken saber bearers. Nobody's telling you to saber a bottle of Champagne -- we're just putting out there how it's done. Follow the rules below, and no one should get hurt. Really - it's a cinch.
How to Saber a Bottle of Champagne
1. Start sober and don't be an idiot. Seriously. Sharp sabers and knives and flying bottle necks belong in the hands of only full-witted people. Getting a feel for whether your crowd is too lit to keep out of the way is part of this rule, too.
Tip: If you're going to photo or video it, be prepared - it's done in 1 second.
